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A&S in the News: March 11–24

What does a strong liberal in Clay County, Fla., have in common with a strong conservative in Denver County, Colo.? Not much, you might guess, considering how politically polarized our nation is. But in fact, these two sometimes hold similar positions on political issues. For example, the average “strong liberal” in Clay County is likely to be slightly against using enhanced interrogation techniques — as is the average “strong conservative” in Denver County. (Alexa Tullett is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Alabama, where her research looks into the social psychology of belief systems.)

Want to prevent the next mass shooting? Give everyone a gun, allow them to carry it everywhere, and hope they fend off the killer … One study published last year found a relationship between a country’s rate of gun ownership and the rate of public mass shootings. Adam Lankford, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Alabama examined data from 171 countries, and found that countries with the highest rates of gun ownership had the highest rates of mass shootings, “even if they are relatively peaceful or mentally healthy according to other national indicators.”

As the term “alt right” has come into mainstream consciousness over the last 18 months, there’s been increased media interest in what exactly makes these people tick — and what they’re into. By now, most of us are familiar with bizarre, ubiquitous neo-Nazi talismans like Pepe the Frog, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be surprised by the pop-culture the Alt-Right has made as its own — whether or not the original artists intended that to happen … How the Alt-Right Coopted It: George Hawley, an assistant professor in the department of political science at the University of Alabama, writes about alt-right culture and says that the movement latched onto one specific plot point in the film. It’s the scene where Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus invites Reeves’ Neo to take the red pill and escape the Matrix.

The European Union’s Ecodesign Directive Standards aren’t coming in to force until 2022, but the UK stove industry is upping its game to ensure it isn’t left behind. The industry is manufacturing a new era of stoves in response to the lowest emission standards ever set, and to ensure consumers install a stove which will give them greener living and longevity for the future … While the modern day stove dates back to as early as 1741, a recent study from anthropologist Christopher Lynn of the University of Alabama reminds us that our natural enjoyment of fire has been a part of our evolution.